The pro-independence ERC will guarantee its support on key issues but will not enter the Catalan Government
The leader of the Left-Wing Catalan Independence Party (ERC), Oriol Junqueras, has confirmed to the incumbent President of the Catalan Government and leader of the Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition (CiU), Artur Mas, that they do not want to sit in the Catalan Executive. However, Junqueras guaranteed Mas ERC’s support for approving the main issues, such as Mas’ re-election as President, next year’s budget and the self-determination referendum. In fact, this last point is the ERC’s main condition for the agreement. The CiU had been insisting on the need to make a stable pact with either the ERC or the PSC, after last Sunday’s electoral results, which would include sharing the government responsibilities in such difficult economic times.
Barcelona (ACN).- After last Sunday’s electoral results, the Centre-Right Catalan Nationalist Coalition (CiU) is looking for an ally to set up a stable pact in order to run the Catalan Government during the next term. In fact, the CiU aims to share the government responsibilities with either the Left-Wing Catalan Independence Party (ERC) or the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC); this means sharing the burden of adopting unpopular decisions in times of recession. The ERC leader, Oriol Junqueras, has confirmed to the incumbent President of the Catalan Government and CiU leader, Artur Mas, that they do not want to sit in the Catalan Executive as the CiU is envisaging. However, Junqueras guaranteed Mas ERC’s support for approving the main decisions, such as Mas’ re-election as Catalan President, next year’s budget and calling for a self-determination referendum. In fact, continuing with Catalonia’s self-determination process is the ERC’s main condition for the agreement. Since the election night, the CiU has sent several public messages stating that the process will continue, although some of the top CiU members seem to have doubts about it. Mas insisted that now the CiU has an electoral mandate to organise the referendum within the next four years.
Since the CiU lost 12 MPs in the recent Catalan elections, it lacks the support to govern alone and it is obliged to be backed by another party in the Catalan Parliament to pass any decisions, including the re-election of Artur Mas as President of the Catalan Government. For the last two years, the CiU has not wanted to form any stable alliance with any party – although they passed most of the adopted measures with the agreement of the People’s Party (PP). After the elections, with only 50 MPs in the 135-seat Catalan Parliament, the CiU cannot longer use “variable geometry” to agree on some issues with one party and agree on others with another party. It especially cannot do so after having ruled out the conservative and Spanish nationalist PP, following the clash over Catalonia’s independence and the recentralisation measures adopted by the Spanish Government. The two options left are the ERC – with 21 MPs – and the PSC – with 20 MPs, both of them guaranteeing an absolute majority. However, the PSC is not willing to reach an agreement with the CiU, at least at the moment and publicly. Therefore, the ERC seems the most feasible option. The problem is that some members of the CiU are reluctant to reach such an agreement, as it would emphasise CiU’s pro-independence profile, which they believe was one of the causes for losing support last Sunday.
On Wednesday, Oriol Junqueras and Artur Mas had lunch together at the Catalan Government’s Palace to hold an extended talk about forming a stable pact to ensure political stability after the elections. Junqueras, as he has been insisting over the last few days, refused to join the Government and said he preferred to remain as the Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament. However, he guaranteed Mas parliamentary stability on essential issues: the re-election, the budget, the referendum and also international projection, as has been confirmed by sources from the ERC. Sources from the CiU have also verified that Mas and Junqueras talked over the phone on Tuesday to prepare today’s meeting. The ERC will give the CiU its support if the referendum is organised within the next four years, being a sine qua non condition.
Regarding the budget, the ERC will ask for a change in the fiscal policy. The ERC aims to re-approve the Inheritance Tax, which was eliminated by the previous CiU cabinet. The tax would not be implemented on everybody but only on people inheriting a great deal of wealth. In addition, they would create another tax to make bank deposits pay tribute. Junqueras stated that he knows budget cuts will have to be approved, but he will ask the CiU not to approve them in sensitive areas such as education and healthcare.
After dealing personally with the general subjects, both leaders will create their own negotiating teams to discuss detailed questions in the coming days. Junqueras explained that the ERC team will be made up of members of the party executive who are experts in law and economics.